Coat-adjuster.



PATENIED JULY 23, 1907.

A. B. GAGNON'.

GOAT ADJUSTER. APPLICATION rnsn'nnu. 22, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

a M W5 0 W PATENTED JULY 23, 1907.

A.E.GAGNON;

GOAT ADJUSTER. APPLICATION FILED-DEG. 22, 1905.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET .2.

THE NORRIS psrsns ca. was

ANDREW E. GAGNON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

COAT-ADJUSTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1907.

Application filed December 22, 1905. Serial No. 292,888-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW E. GAGNON, of Minneapolis, Hennepin county, Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coat-Adjusters, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine for aiding a person in putting on an under or over coat.

The invention consists, generally, in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine embodying my invention in its normal inoperative position. Fig. 2 illustrates the coat clamps elevated to a suitable height preparatory to drawing the coat up over the shoulders of the wearer. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing the machine in its nornial position, taken on a section line substantially at right angles to the front elevation. Fig. 4 is a plan section on the line of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a similar view on the line yy of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of the vertically moving portion of the machine. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view of one of the jaws or clamps. Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view of the dog or friction device for raising the jaw supporting means.

In the drawing, 2 represents a suitable base which may be of any desired shape or size. 3, 4 and 5 are legs secured at their lower ends to the base and connected at intervals between their upper and lower ends by cross braces or bars 6, 7 and S. A pipe 9 is vertically slidable in holes provided in the bars 7 and 8, and has a coupling 10 on its upper end supporting arms 11 which project vertically above said coupling and diverge from their lower toward their upper ends. A key seat 12 is provided in the pipe 9, and a bolt 13 mounted in the cross bar 7 enters said hey seat and allows vertical movement of the pipe, and locks it against rotation. A collar14 on the lower end of the pipe contacts with the cross bar 7 and limits the vertical movement of said pipe. The arms 11 are preferablyhollow, and curved forwardly at their upper ends, and each provided with jaws or clamps consisting of a fixed jaw 15 and a movable jaw 16 pivoted at 17 on said fixed jaw, and having cooperating or contacting faces 18 preferably of rubber, or some other suitable yielding material to grip the collar of the coat. I

A spring 19 is provided in connection with the fixed and movable jaws of each clamp to hold their yielding faces in engagement with one another. A cord or cable 20 is attached to each movable jaw and extends down through the hollow arms 11 and the coupling whereon they are mounted and into the pipe 9, and at its lower end is attached to a rod 22 that is vertically slidable within the pipe 9 and the cross bar 6. A friction clutch arm 23 has a hole 24 to receive the rod 22, and this hole is obliquely arranged with respect to the rod so that when power is applied to depress the arm it will grasp the rod and draw it down also, a spring 25 being provided to prevent the arm from slipping on the rod.

A treadle 26 is pivoted on the leg 4 and connected with the arm 23 by a link 27. When this treadle is depressed the arm 23 and the rod 22 will be drawn down to open the jaws of the clamps. Above the cross bar 7 is a second friction clutch arm 28 having a hole therethrough corresponding to the one described with reference to the arm 23, except that it is oppositely arranged, the power being applied to lift the arm 28 instead of depress it, as in the case of the arm 23. A lever 30 is pivoted on the leg 3 and connected at one end by a link 31 with the arm 28, and the opposite end of the lever 30 is connected by a rod 32 with a second treadle 33, also pivoted on the leg 4. A spring 34 coiled about the pipe 9 normally holds the arm 28 in its depressed position. When, however, the treadle 33 is depressed the arm will be oscillated to raise the pipe 9 and the parts carried thereby against the tension of the spring 3 1. Athird friction clutch arm 35 is pivoted on the leg4 above the bar 8 and corresponds to the other arms described, and is adapted to hold the pipe 9 and its contents in raised position, the pipe being held thereby by frictional engagement therewith until such time as the locking arm 35 is tripped to allow the weight of the device to return it to its normal position. Any suitable means may be provided for tripping and locking the arm 35. I prefer, however,- to provide a lever 36 mounted on the bar 8 within convenient reach of the operator of the machine. I prefer also to provide a spring 37 between the arm 35 and the coupling 10 to form a cushion at that point and take up the jar or shock resulting from the sudden release and drop of the vertically movable pipe and its connections.

To use this machine, the operator will first raise the jaws a suitable distance according to the height of the person on whom the coat is to be placed, then the treadle 26 is depressed and the clamps opened and the coat suspended therein by the collar. Then the person will stand with his back to the machine and place his arms in the sleeves of the coat and depress the treadle 33. Whereupon the clamps and arms will be raised and the coat drawn up over the shoulders without the necessity of lifting the arms. The treadle 26 will then be depressed and the coat released from the clamps.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination, with a frame, of a vertically movable support mounted therein, forwardly curved arms mounted on the upper end of said support, clamps carried by said arms and each clamp having a fixed and a movable jaw, a rod having a vertical movement within said support and having a flexible connection with said movable jaws, means for depressing said rod to open said jaws, and means for lifting said support and said arms and said jaws, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a frame, of the forwardly curved hollow arms supported thereon, clamps carried by said arms and having each a fixed and a movable Jaw, a treadle having a flexible connection through said hollow arms with said movable jaws and a second treadle and mechanism connected therewith for raising said arms-and jaws.

3. The combination, with the vertically movable forwardly curved arms, of clamps carried thereby, a treadle having a flexible connection with said clamps, a second treadle, and mechanism connected therewith for raising said arms, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a suitable frame, of a verti-j cally movable pip e, curved arms carriedon said pipe, clamps each having a fixed and a movable .jaw mountedon said arms, mechanism for opening said clamps, and meclr; anism for raising said pipe and arms, for the purpose specified.

5. The combination with a suitable frame, of a vertically movable pipe therein, arms mountedon said pipe, clamps carried by said arms and having fixed and movable jaws, a rod arranged within said pipe, flexible means con necting said rod with sai(l.movable jaws, means for depressing saidrod to open said jaws, means for lifting said pipe and said arms and jaws, and means for locking said pipe in its raised position, substantially as described.

6. Thecombination with a frame, of a vertically mov able support therein, arms mounted on said support, clamping jaws carried by said arms, a rod vertically movable in said'support and having a flexible connection with said jaws, meansfor raising said support to adjust said clamping jaws'to the xlesired elevation, and means for operating said rod to open said jaws, substantially as described.

.7. The combination, with a coat supporting means, of jaws carried by said supporting means and adapted to grip the coat, means for raising said supporting means to adjust the jaws to the desired elevation, a rod vertically movable in --s,ai,d supporting meansand'having a flexible connection with said vjaws, a friction clutch device arranged to lock said supporting means in its raised posi- 

